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(No Model.) .4 Sheets-Sheet 1, .I

R. WREDEN. MIGROTBLBPHONIG APPARATUS POR DIVERS. A No. 478,493.'Patented July 5', 1892.-

INVEII T01? (N0-Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 2.

R; WREDBN.` MIGRUTBLBPHONIG APPARATUS FOR DIVERS. No. 478,493 Patented.July 5, 1892.

TTOHNEYJ 'ma noms venus oo., moromwo., wAsmNmuN. n

(No Model.) 4 sheetssheet s'.

R. WREDEN. MIGROTELBPHONIG APPARATUS PoR DIVERS.

No. 478,493. Patented July 5, 1892.

WIT/VESSES:

Nbw Y www 4 N. E D E R W uw MIGROTE-LBPHONIG APPARATUS PoR DIVERS. No.478,493.

Patented July 5, 1892.

A TTOH/V E YS.

rens co., mmmmo., mamma-ran. n. c.

7 UNTTE STATEs PATENT OEEICE.

ROBERT WREDEN, OF S'T. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA.

MICROTELEPHONIC APPARTUS FOR DlVERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 478,493, dated July 5,1892.

Application filed March 28, 1890. Serial No. 345,663. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT VREDEN, doctor of medicine and actualcouncillor of state, a subject of the Emperor of Russia, residing at St.Petersburg, Russia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMicrotelephonic Apparatus for Divers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a microtelephonic apparatus which will enable adiverunder any depth ot' water to hold a perfectly-intelligible and loudconversation with persons situated above water, either on land or onboard of a vessel. It fulfills perfectly all the requirements of divingoperations, as, first, it transmits in a perfectly-intelligiblemannerthe speech either from the diver to those above water or from thelatter to the diver; secondly, the diver can, if necessary, ring asignal-bell at the station above Water; thirdly, the apparatus is ofstrong construction and can be readily used even by unskilled divers,because the electrical conductors are situated inside the air-supplyin gtube of the diver, while the telephone, microphone, and commutator forthe signaling apparatus or bell are situated inside the helmet; also,the apparatus at the above water station is contained in a portablestrong casing that can be locked, and the current-generator consists ofaA dry battery; fourthly, this microtelephonic diver apparatus is soconstructed as to be readily adapted to anyexisting construction ofhelmets and air-tubes.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure l is a view of the inner side, andFig. 2 a view of the outer side, of the microtelephonic bandage for thehead of the diver. Fig. 3 shows the bandage in place. Fig. 4 is asectional view of the air-escape valve of the helmet. Fig. 5 shows theair-tube and its branches. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views at rightangles to each other ot' the terminal connection in the helmet. Fig. 8is a View of the commutator used at the upper station. Fig. 9 shows aportable box containing the apparatus belonging to the upper station.Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the electrical connections. Fig. l1 is across-sectionalview of the divcrs helmet, showing the electricalconnections, the air-tube, and the air-exit valve.

The microtelephonic apparatus consists of 6, in the helmet.

four principal parts: the microtelephonic head-gear, themicro-telephonie apparatus of the diving-helmet, the microtelephonicdevices of the air-tube, and the microtelephonic apparatus of theabove-water station.

I. The mvcrotelephomlc head-gear of the dicen-This is shown at Figs. l,2, and 3 of the drawings. It consists of an elastic bandage ofcaoutchouc, which is placed over the top of the head and is fastenedtogether by buttoning or otherwise under the chin. On-the inner surfaceis the telephone T, and on the outer surface the microphone M, fromwhich a pliable double conducting-Wire leads to the pinching-screws d dof the commntator, Fig.

The conducting connecting-wires et ct", which connect the microphone Mwith the telephone T, are on the inner surface of the bandage, as shownat Fig. l. The microphone and telephone may be of any knownconstruction. They must, however, be of such size and configuration thatthey do not interfere with the free movement of the head in the helmet.It is also essentially necessary that the telephone should be tightlypressed against the ear, so as to protect this from the great noisesoccurring in the helmet, for which purpose there is fixed on the edge ofthe ear-plate of the telephone a ring b, Figs. l and 3, of caoutchouc,felt, or other non-conductor of sound. The shape of microphonehead-bandage of the diver can also be varied. For example, it might bein the shape of a cap or covering with earlappets. The principalcondition is that the telephone and microphone shall be fixed on thehead of the diver and be prevented from coming in contact with the sidesot' the helmet, as otherwise the sound vibrations produced in the helmetby the continuous in f'low and outflow of compressed air would becommunicated to the microphone and destroy its proper action or renderspeech unintelligible. The material of which the headbandage is made mayalso be greatly varied, thus it may loe of caoutchouc, leather, felt,cloth, dre. Itis only essential that the bandage' should protect theears as completely as possible against the noises in the helmet andshould press the telephone tightly against the head in Whatever positionthis may be placed, so that the diver may be enabled to hear every IOOthing that is spoken to him through the telephone, and therefore shallnot requireany call-signal from the station above Water. If, on theother hand, the telephone were fixed on the inner surface of the helmet,the diver could not possibly keep his ear pressed against it for aconsiderable length of time, and could therefore not at all tim esanswer any question that might be put to him from the upper station. Itwould therefore be necessary to provide a special call-signal in thehelmet for calling the divers attention to the fact that the upperstation desires to speak with him, which arrangement would be Veryinconvenient in View of the Want of space and the great noise occurringin the helmet. Vith the use of the microphonic head-bandage the ears areeffectually closed against the noise in the helmet. The microphone isnot subject to the vibrations of the helmet, and consequently transmitsthe divers speech clearly to the upper station, while, as before stated,the telephone being pressed continuously against the divers ear rendersa call-signal unnecessary, as every sound transmitted from above passesdirect into the ear of the diver as though it were spoken directly intothe same. The tixing of the microphone on the head of the diver Wouldalso have the advantage of enabling those at the upper station to atonce detect by the occurrence of unusual stillness or of sounds ofsnoring` if the diver had gone to sleep and to wake him by making loudor shrill noises through the telephone.

lI. T he fmt'crotelephofnc devices 'in the helmet-These consist of a commutator, the necessary screw-terminals for the conductingwire of theair-tube, and the modified construction of the air-discharge valve.

First. The commutator of the helmet is shown at Figs. 6,7,and ll. Itenables the diver, by depressing the button d', to cut his microphoneand telephone out of the electric circuit and to cause the current whichpasses from the battery at the upper station along the wires of theair-tube to the cornmutator to pass directly back to the battery throughan electric signal apparatus, so as to call the attention of the personat such station. The commutator is fixed on an insulating-plate A, ofebonite,on the inner surface of the helmet, and is so constructed thatthe current passing through the metal bracket c into the axis of themetallic lever fl can pass in two different directions-namely, either tothe right through the right contact-stud b and the right-handscrew-terminal a', connected thereto, into the microphone and telephoneof the diver, from which it passes back through the left screw-terminalaand the contact-stud b in connection therewith to the battery of theupper station, or upon the diver pressing his head against the button 7eof the lever d, thereby breaking the contact at b and making it at b,the current will pass directly back to the battery of the upper station,cutting out the microphone and telephone of the helmet. As the principaluse ot' the apparatus is to transmit speech to and from the diver, thecommutator-lever is acted upon by a springf, so as to cause it to keepin contact with the contact-stud b', and thus keep the circuitordinarily closed through t-he microphone and telephone.

Second. The terminal connection ofthe helmet, Figs. 6, 7, and ll, forattaching the conducting-Wires, is connected to the commutator-base andpasses in a Water-tight manner through the side of the helmet to theoutside thereof. It consists of an ebonite cylinder with tWo internalinsulated metal tubes e e', which are in conducting connection With themetal contactstud b and-support c of the commutator, respectively, andserve to receive the two metal pins s s of the cap D, which is inconnection with the branch E of the air-tube F, Fig. 5. The outermetallic covering to the block B is formed with a screw-thread forreceiving the screw-cap D of the terminal block c of the air-tube.Between the two blocks B and C a caoutchouc washer is introduced toprevent the possibility of water penetrating to the conductors.

Third. The air-escape valve of the helmet, Figs. 4 and ll, has in placeof a great number of escape-openings, as is customary, through which theexcess of air-escapes into the water,I only a single comparatively largeopening O, situated in the center of a lead ringP, solderedontotheendofthevalve-casing. This arrangement has for its object tolessen the disturb-V ing noise in the helmet, which is caused by theissue of the air through a large number of small openings, as a singlejet of air will produce a considerably less number of vibrations in thewater, and consequently in the helmet, than a number of them, and, inaddition, the friction of the air in a number of small passages will bemuch greater than in a single large one. Lastly, the sound-vibrationswill be much less in the comparatively bad sou nd-conductor-lead-than inthe brass plate containing the number of small holes, and thetransmission of such sound to the helmet will. also be much less throughthe lead than through the brass. In place of lead any other badconductor of sound-such as caoutchouc, cork, felt, ne-may be used. Inorder to still further reduce the noise, the hel- IOO IIO

met might be lined internally With one of the labove-named substances,because the transmission of the sound-vibrations of the helmet to theinclosed air would be considerably impeded thereby. This effect may bestill further increased by coating the helmet both in.

ternally and externally with abad conductor of sound.

The principal cause of noise in the helmetA is the outflowing air, thatcaused by the inand of the air-inlet passages of the helmet,

because by that means the indications at the upper station by themicrophone of the stifli- 'sets of terminals is effected.

cient and regular supply of air to the helmet would be impaired.

III. The mzcrotelephon'ic dev-ces of the airifube, Fig. 5, consist inproviding at both ends thereof-21e., at the helmet and at the airpiimp-two lateral caoutchouc branch tubes E E', through which theelectric-circuit wires contained in the air-tube F pass out in order toavoid the air-valves at the helmet and airpump. These two branch tubesEF. have at their ends hernietically-secured terminals for connecting thecircuit-wires of the air-tube with the commutator of the helmet and theconnecting-screws S S of the upper station,

as indicated at Figs. 9 and l0. The terminal Y on the air-tube forconnection with the helmet consists of an ebonite cylinder C, Fig. 6, inwhich are bedded two projecting metal pins s s', which are in conductingconnection with the circiiit-wires of the air-tube, and which fitclosely within the met-al tubes e e of the coniinutator-terininal on thehelmet. The metallic casing of the ebonite cylinder C is contained loosein a made screw-cap D, that screws on the terminal of the helmet,whereby an effectual conducting-contact between the two The terminal atthe end of the branch F. consists of an ebonite block containing twometal conducting-tubes k lo', which are in conducting con- A nectionwith the circiiit-wires in the tube and which have pinching-screws Z Zfor securing the connecting-wires S S', Figs. 9 and 10, in-

serted into the tubes at the upper station.

IV. The microifelephomc above-water' sta.-

, tion, Figs. 9 and l0, consists of a transportable wooden box that canbe locked up and that contains three compartments. In the first of theseK is the microphone with the iiiduction-coil and telephone, in thesecond L are four dry-battery elements, and in the third R is theelectric signaling-bell and the commutator. This com mutator (shown atFig. 8) sends the current of t-he battery through the left-hand inetalstud m into the microphone on turning the switch N to the left hand. Onmoving the switch to the right hand onto stud n the cuirentis sent intothe signal-bell, while if the switch is turned to the middle position onthe insulating ebonite plate the circuit is intercepted, andconsequently the battery is at rest.

The function of the microtelephonic apparatus will be seen from thediagram of the electrical connections, Fig. 10. From the positive poleof the batterylV the current passes into the axis of thecommutator-lever N, and by turning the latter it can either be directedinto the microphone V, the lever being put upon the stud m or into thebell X, the lever being put upon the stud n. In the rst case themicrophone is put into circuit and the bell is out of circuit, and inthe latter case the reverse is effected. For communicating with thediver the commutator -lever N is moved to the left, whereupon thecurrent passes from the stud m and screw-terminal Z into the microphoneV of the upper station, in passing through the screw p into the thickwire of the induction-coil and the carbon contact, and thence throughthe screws q and Z to the terminal S of the circuit-wire in theair-pipe. From the other end of this it passes into the commutatorV ofthe divers helmet. Here the current passes through the aXis c of themovable contact-'lever d and contactstud c to the screw-terminal 0.',with which the one end of the pliable conducting-wire d, Fig. 2, ofthe'divers microphone is connected. After the current has passed throughthe microphone and the telephone connected parallel therewith it passes'through the coutact- '8 screw a and stud b of the helinet-cominutatorinto the circuit-wire of the air-tube F, and from the terminal S thereofto the zinc pole of the battery WV.

The parallel arrangement of the microphone and telephone of the diversapparatus is an essential peculiarity of the apparatus,

because it produces a remarkable degree of effectiveness of theapparatus. In connecting the microphone with its telephone in series theintroduction of the indiiction-coil\of the telephone into the circuitwould cause a considerable resistance to the battery-current, wherebythe action of the two micro-` phones at the divers apparatus and upperstation would be considerably weakened. To avoid this defect, it wouldbe necessary, if the above-described parallel arrangement were notemployed, to introduce another induction-coil intothe divers helmet,thereby still further reducing the space in the same, j

which is already Very limited and causing great inconvenience. After thetermination yroo of the conversation the person at the upper stationplaces the lever N upon the stud n,

whereby the microphone V is cut out and the bell X is included in thecircuit. This bell will, however, not ring so long as the micro-y phoneand telephone of the diver'are included in the circuit, but is onlybroughtinto action after these have been cut out by the action of thelever d, as above described, thereby causing the current to pass fromthe commutator direct to the zinc pole of the battery W, Whereuponl thebell X, being alone in circuit, will be effectually put in action. Thecurrent then IIO Hows as follows: From lever N and stud/rzl the jcurrent passes into the bell X, from thence through screw S into thecircuit-wire of the air-tube F, and through this to thecoinmutal tor ofthe helmet, where it passes through lever d, this being depressedby thediver, and

post b to the other wire of the air-tube,and thence through screw S tothe battery W.

If it is desired to use the earth or water for return-conductor insteadof havinga second wire, the apparatus will also act efficiently,"

electric bell being' then Worked by a single wlre.

I claim as my inventionl. In apparatus .for the use of divers, anelastic bandage adapted to be placed on the divers head and provided onits inner surface with a receiver to be placed near the ear and on itsouter surface provided With a microphone, all substantially as setforth.

2. In apparatus for the use of divers, the combination of the helmet-provided with binding-posts in electrical communication Withconducting-Wires with a bandage adapted to be placed on the divers headand provided with a receiver and a microphone, and conducting-Wiresleading to the said bindingposts, all substantially as set forth.

3. In apparatus for the use of divers, the combination of an electriccircuit, a transmitter, a receiver and an electric bell in the saidcircuit With a divers helmetprovided with a commutator placed in theinterior thereof and adapted to be moved by the divers head,substantially as described.

4. In apparatus for the use of divers, the

combination of two sets of telephone receiving and transmittinginstruments,rone for the diver and one for the above-Water station, anelectric bell, a battery, and a switch adapted to place the bell in theelectric circuit while cutting out the abovewaterstationtelephoneinstruments, and vice versa, and a commutator in the helmet andadapted to normally retain the dvers telephone-instruments in thecircuit, but to cut these instruments out of the circuit at the Will ofthe diver, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. In a dvers helmet, an exhaustair valve provided with one largeopening and covered internally With lead or other poor Vconductor 4ofsound, substantially as and'for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed. my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT WREDEN.

Vitnesses:

N. TsoHENALoFF, Z. BLAU.

